The present invention relates generally to exhibit display systems, and more particularly to the field of lightweight portable frames for supporting exhibits while on display.
The field of portable exhibit display structures has expanded rapidly in recent years meeting the needs for providing truly portable structures of lightweight material which may be readily transported from place to place and quickly erected for display purposes. One such structure is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,560, issued Apr. 21, 1987, wherein a multiplicity of lightweight struts are triangulated for rigidity and combined with a number of vertical channel members to form a structure for hanging display sheets serving as a display surface. Although the frame structure itself is extremely lightweight and incapable of supporting significant vertical loading, the channel members do provide some vertical rigidity for supporting limited loading. After panels are hung on this structure to form a display, it has the appearance of a curved wall and is even suggestive of solid-wall construction, even though it actually has only limited supportive strength. The display structure may be used to support lights, shelving, and various types of hanging brackets, if the vertical loading is kept within the predefined limits of the structure.
Since portable display structures function primarily to provide a pleasing visual perception and presentation, considerable effort is made to select display panel materials which will enhance this visual perception. Lighting and surface textures are also associated with the display and selected to enhance the visual perception.
While providing the proper visual perception of the display is difficult when applied to a fixed position display, it becomes exceedingly difficult when the display unit must be disassemblable both rapidly and into small enough shipping units for shipment as luggage and readily reassemblable at a distant location. For these reasons the display structure typically incorporates a plastic sheet material, frequently having a fabric covering, which may be readily rolled up for deposit in the storage container. While this allows ready storage and shipment of the display panels, the separate frame structure and components must also be collapsed or disassembled for storage, adding to the quantity of carrying cases that must be transported to a distant location.
The present invention provides an improvement to the display structures of the foregoing types, by further enhancing the perception of strength and beauty while in the erected condition, and additionally providing a lightweight frameless supporting structure which is formed from the display panels themselves.